Combination beam and rail



NOV 16, 1965 R. K. FORD, JR

COMBINATION BEAM AND RAIL Original Filed Feb. 2. 1961 IN VEN TOR. RALPH FORD JR.

WMM @aghi A T Tom/Ens' United States Patent 3,217,659 COMBINATION BEAM AND RAIL Ralph K. Ford, Jr., Novelty, Ohio, assignor to The Cleveland Crane & Engineering Company, Wickliife, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Continuation of application Ser. No. 86,668, Feb. 2, 1961.

This application Dec. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 333,759 4 Claims. '(Cl. 1041-109) The present invention relates to underslung, overhead carrier-type material handling systems and more particularly to a combination beam-rail for use in such systems.

The present application is a continuation of my copending application, Serial No. 86,668, tiled February 2, 1961, now abandoned, the disclosure of which including the specicaton, drawings, etc., are incorporated herein by reference.

The most advanced combination beam-rail known to the art prior to the present invention was the beam-rail shown in Wehr Patent No. 1,577,394. This beam-rail was fabricated commercially by cutting commercial I- beams lengthwise along an irregular path and in such a manner that the resulting two halves of the I-beam had web portions of varying -height with the portions of maximum height having a greater height than half of the height of the web of the original I-beam. T-shaped rail members were Ithen welded to the interrupted free edges of the web portions of the resulting T-beam sections, and the formation of the Wehr beam-rails, in the manner referred to, provided a beam rail having a higher web in relation to the width of the top flanges than could otherwise be obtained without excessive scrap, ie., a better balance between the compression and tension parts of the beamrail was obtained.

I-beams are not made to close tolerances and are available only in limited sizes. Since the increments of size that could be made was tied directly to available I-beam sizes, a large range of beam-rail sizes was not possible with the result that the beam-rails employed in material handling were usually heavier than required for the particular span and load requirements of the installation. This was a great disadvantage because the use of heavier overhead tracks than necessary not only increased the cost but placed an unnecessarily heavy dead load on the buildings in which the systems were installed thereby reducing the live load which could be handled by the carriers.

The optimum combination beam-rail for any particular material handling system is one especially designed for the particular installation and the principal object of the present invention is the provision of a novel and improved combination supporting beam and rail for an overhead material handling system, of the character referred to, and a method or methods of making the same, which can be produced economically to close tolerances and in unlimited sizes with optimum flange and beam widths and thicknesses most adaptable for various span and loa`d conditions, etc., encountered in the design and erection of overhead material handling installations of the character referred to.

The invention resides in certain constructions and combinations or arrangements of parts, etc., and further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains from the following description of the preferred embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and showing a perspective view of a combination beam and rail member embodying the invention.

The combination beam and rail member shown and designated by the reference character A is generally of ice modified I-shape in cross section having relatively wide top ilanges and relatively narrow bottom flanges projecting from opposite top and bottom edges of a central vertical web. The upper marginal surfaces of the lower flanges which are raised are adapted to be engaged by the track wheels of carriers traveling the track formed by the member A or the track of which the member is a part.

The member A is made of three discrete parts: a top plate 10, a web plate 11, and a rail member 12 welded together. The iirst two parts, 10, 11, are commercial low carbon steel strips or narrow plates of suitable length, width and thickness ydepending upon the desired load carrying capacity of the member A, and the third part 12 is a high carbon steel T-shaped rail. The upper edge of the web or vertical plate 11, which is uninterrupted and continuous, is welded throughout its length to the underside of the top plate 10 along the longitudinal centerline of the latter and the upper continuous edge of `the central vertical web 15 of the rail part 12 is welded throughout its length to the lower continuous edge of the web plate or part 11.

The weldment A has the general shape of a modified T or I-beam with its upper flanges 16, 17 projecting outwardly of the central web further or beyond the lower carrier supporting flanges 20, 21.

In xedly connecting the parts of the preferred embodiment shown together, welds 22, 23 are made along both sides of the member 11 at its upper edge and welds 24, 25 along both sides of its lower edge and, preferably, in such a manner that they penetrate the joint thus providing extremely strong connections between the parts. All of the welds are preferably made simultaneously or approximately so thus reducing distortion of the parts to a minimum and with the assembled parts inverted with respect to the position shown in the drawing.

The web plate or part 11 constitutes the main load carrying part of the combination beam-rail member A and is preferably made of low carbon steel or other suitable material. The vertical web 15 of the rail part 12 is preferably not more than about half as high as the part 11 is wide or high and in most instance-s will be much less. The rail 12 is preferably made of material having good wearing qualities, such as, high carbon steel mentioned before, and the upper marginal edges 26, 27 of the anges 20, 21 are preferably raised slightly as shown to provide raised treads to be engaged by the carrier wheels.

From the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the method of its fabrication it will be apparent that the advantages of the invention heretofore enumerated and others have been accomplished and there has been provided a new and improved struetural member comprising a combination supporting beam and rail for use in an underslung overhead carrier material handling system. The thickness and width of the top flange plate and the thickness and height of the web plate can be varied from beam to beam so that the compression, tension, deflection and strengths can be balanced or adjusted soas to obtain optimum conditions for given load or span requirements resulting in a more economical and efficient use of material. In addition, the present invention provides a combination beam-rail which can be made of sizes heretofore uncontemplated and at a fraction of the cost of prior art devices used for the same or similar purposes.

Another advantage of the present invention is the fact that in producing curved sections of track the width of the upper flange of the beam-rail can be reduced and the thickness thereof increased in order to facilitate bending of the beam-rail without loss of cross sectional area which area carries the compression loads.

3 While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, it is to be understood that the material and the previously mentioned dimensions of the various parts, and more particularly, the top flange and web plates may be changed depending upon the span between supports and the desired load carrying capacity of the member. It is also to be understood that while the various parts of the preferred embodiment are welded together by arc welds made by the submerged arc or other suitable method, the parts may be welded together by resistance welding. It is the intention to hereby cover all modifications and uses of the invention and construction disclosed herein which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. As an article of commerce an integral composite combination beam and rail having first and second flange portions spaced from one another and connected togetherby a web portion for an overhead material hani dling system, adapted to be supported, and comprising:

a first elongated7 low carbon steel plate-like member having uninterrupted longitudinal edges and constituting the principal part of said web portion of said combinav tion beam and rail; a second elongated, low carbon steel plate-like member constituting the first of said flange portions of said combination beam and rail; a first continuous weld connecting one side of said second platelike member along its longitudinal center line to one of said uninterrupted edges of said first plate-like member;

said continuous weld extending from one side of said first plate-like member to the other; an elongated T- shaped high carbon steel rail member having its web part coplanar with said first plate-like member, the free edges of its projecting flange parts being uninterrupted and adapted to movably support a carrier; and a second continuous weld connecting the free edge of said web 'part of said T-shaped high carbon steel rail member to the other said uninterrupted edge of said first plate-like member opposite said edge of said first plate-like niem- .ber to which said second plate-like member is connected thereto; said second continuous weld extending from one side of said adjoining edges of said web part of said T-shaped rail member and said first plate-like member to the other; said flange parts forming the second of said flange portions of said combination beam and rail member and projecting from opposite sides of said web portion of said composite beam and rail member less than said first flange portion thereof projects from said web portion; said first and second continuous welds having been made concurrently or approximately concurrently with one another.

2. As an article of commerce an integral composite combination beam and rail having first and second flange portions spaced from one another and connected together v by a web portion `for an overhead material handling system, adapted to be supported at relatively widely spaced points, and comprising: a first elongated, low carbon steel plate-like member having uninterrupted longitudinal edges and constituting the principal part of said web portion of said combination beam and rail; a second elongated, low carbon steel plate-like member constituting the first of said flange portions of said combination beam and rail; first continuous welds along opposite sides of said first plate-like member connecting one side of said second plate-like member along its longitudinal center line to one of said uninterrupted edges of said first plate-like member; an elongated T-shaped high carbon steel rail member having its web part coplanar with said first plate-like member and its free edge uninterrupted and its projecting flange parts being adapted to movably support a carrier and second continuous welds connecting the free edge of said web part of said T-shaped high carbon steel rail member to the other of said uninterrupted edges of said first plate-like member opposite said edge of said first plate-like member to which said second plate-like member is connected thereto; said flange parts `forming the second of said flange portions of said combination beam and rail member and projecting `from opposite sides of said web p0rtion of said composite beam and rail member less than said rst flange portion thereof projects from said web portion.

3. As an article of commerce an integral composite combination beam and rail having first and second flange portions spaced from one another and connected together by a web portion for an overhead material handling system, adapted to be supported, and comprising: a first elongated, low carbon steel plate-like member having uninterrupted longitudinal edges and constituting the principal part of said web portion of said combination beam and rail; a second elongated, low carbon steel plate-like member constituting the first of said flange portions of said combination beam and rail; first continuous welds along opposite sides of said first platelike member connecting one side of said second platelike member' along its longitudinal center line to one of said uninterrupted edges of said first plate-like member; said first continuous welds extending `from one side of said first plate-like member to the other; an elongated T-shaped high carbon steel rail member having its web part coplanar with said first plate-like member and its free edge uninterrupted and its projecting flange parts being adapted to movably support a carrier; and second continuous welds connecting the free edge of said web part of said T-shaped high carbon steel rail member to the other said uninterrupted edge of said first plate-like member opposite said edge of said first plate-like member to which said second plate-like member is connected thereto; said second continuous welds extending from one side of said adjoining edges of said web part of said T-shaped rail member and said first plate-like member to the other; said flange parts forming the second of said flange portions of said combination beam and rail member and projecting from opposite sides of said web portion of said composite beam and rail member less than said first flange portion thereof projects from said web portion.

4. As an article of commerce an integral composite combination beam and rail having first and second flange portions spaced from one another and connected together by a web portion for an overhead material haridling system, adapted to be supported at relatively widely spaced points, and comprising: a first elongated, low carbon steel yplate-like member having uninterrupted longitudinal edges and constituting the princip-al part of said web portion of said combination beam and rail; a second elongated, low carbon steel plate-like member constituting the first of said flange portions of said combination beam and rail; first continuous welds along opposite sides of said first plate-like member connecting one side of said second plate-like member along its longitudinal center line to one of said uninterrupted edges of said first plate-like member; and an elongated T-sha-ped high carbon steel rail member having its web part coplanar with said first plate-like member and its free edge uninterrupted and its projecting flange parts being adapted to movably support a carrier; and second continuous welds connecting the free edge of said web part of said T-shaped high carbon steel rail member to the other said uninterrupted edge of said first platelike member opposite said edge of said rst plate-like member to which said second plate-like member is connected thereto; said flange parts forming the second of said flange portions of said combination beam and rail'. member and projecting from opposite sides of said webl portion of said composite beam andi rail member less. than said first flange portion thereof; projects `from said web portion; said first and second QQUIUBQUS welds all 5 having been made concurrently or approximately con- 1,831,343 currently with one another. 2,198,264 2,276,782 References Cited by the Examiner 2,777,936

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,577,394 3/1926 Wehr --104-109 5 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

LEO QUACKENBUSH, Examiner. 

1. AS AN ARTICLE OF COMMERCE AN INTEGRAL COMPOSITE COMBINATION BEAM AND RAIL HAVING FIRST AND SECOND FLANGE PORTIONS SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER AND CONNECTED TOGETHER BY A WEB PORTION FOR AN OVERHEAD MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM, ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED, AND COMPRISING: A FIRST ELONGATED, LOW CARBON STEEL PLATE-LIKE MEMBER HAVING UNINTERRUPTED LONGITUDINAL EDGES AND CONSTITUTING THE PRINCIPAL PART OF SAID WEB PORTION OF SAID COMBINATION BEAM AND RAIL; A SECOND ELONGATED, LOW CARBON STEEL PLATE-LIKE MEMBER CONSTITUTING THE FIRST OF SAID FLANGE PORTIONS OF SAID COMBINATION BEAM AND RAIL; A FIRST CONTINUOUS WELD CONNECTING ONE SIDE OF SAID SECOND PLATELIKE MEMBER ALONG ITS LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE TO ONE OF SAID UNINTERRUPTED EDGES OF SAID FIRST PLATE-LIKE MEMBER; SAID CONTINUOUS WELD EXTENDING FROM ONE SIDE OF SAID FIRST PLATE-LIKE MEMBER TO THE OTHER; AN ELONGATED TSHAPED HIGH CARBON STEEL RAIL MEMBER HAVING ITS WEB PART COPLANAR WITH SAID FIRST PLATE-LIKE MEMBER, THE FREE EDGES OF ITS PROJECTING FLANGE PARTS BEING UNINTERRUPTED AND ADAPTED TO MOVABLY SUPPORT A CARRIER; AND A SECOND CONTINUOUS WELD CONNECTING THE FREE EDGE OF SAID WEB PART OF SAID T-SHAPED HIGH CARBON STEEL RAIL MEMBER TO THE OTHER SAID UNINTERRUPTED EDGE OF SAID FIRST PLATE-LIKE MEMBER OPPOSITE SAID EDGE OF SAID FIRST PLATE-LIKE MEMBER TO WHICH SAID SECOND PLATE-LIKE MEMBER IS CONNECTED THERETO; SAID SECOND CONTINUOUS WELD EXTENDING FROM ONE SIDE OF SAID ADJOINING EDGES OF SAID WEB PART OF SAID T-SHAPED RAIL MEMBER AND SAID FIRST PLATE-LIKE MEMBER TO THE OTHER; SAID FLANGE PARTS FORMING THE SECOND OF SAID FLANGE PORTIONS OF SAID COMBINATION BEAM AND RAIL MEMBER AND PROJECTING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID WEB PORTION OF SAID COMPOSITE BEAM AND RAIL MEMBER LESS THAN SAID FIRST FLANGE PORTION THEREOF PROJECTS FROM SAID WEB PORTION; SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONTINUOUS WELDS HAVING BEEN MADE CONCURRENTLY OR APPROXIMATELY CONCURRENTLY WITH ONE ANOTHER. 